To Navigate a Maze
by Mtbookworm
Summary: Katrina Storm always new she would go into the Games. After her Great Aunt, cousin, uncle, and her brother all went, she knew she would be going into. After she is reaped, a string of things get in the way of the death she was so ready to take, she is going to have to learn to navigate the maze her life turned into.


**Hi everyone! This is a story line I have had in my head for a while and I hope you like it. It's my first hunger games fic, so please be gentle. Constructive criticism is expected but nothing to harsh please. I hope you all like the story.**

**To Navigate a Maze**

**Chapter 1: Dreaded Day**

Dread. That is the first thing I feel when I wake up. Absolute, unadulterated dread. This isn't the first time in my life I have felt this dread. Where I live, this dread is natural. Every one feels it. Some more often then others. Some harder than other, but for us dread is inventible

For me, this dread only comes once a year. I am luckier than most in my district, which in it of itself is luckier than others like 11 or 12, I do not feel this dread daily. My stepfather has a decent job so we don't starve. We aren't full, but we wont starve. For me this dread only comes one day a year, the Reaping, the day everyone dreads.

The second thing I feel when I wake up is more comforting. I smell the salty sweet smell of the ocean coming through my bedroom window from the docks. I here the call of seagulls at their feeding time. These things comfort me, and on a day like today I could use some comforting.

Slowly and tiredly I get of bed. I hear my parent's voices coming through the kitchen, so they must be awake. My mother can never sleep the night of the Reaping, not since...well never mind.

I look over at the other bed besides my own in the room, and see that it is empty, meaning my little brother is already awake, which isn't to surprising considering he is an energetic seven year old. I envy him, for the gravity doesn't of this day does not reach his little world. I am determined to make sure he can stay in that little world of childhood as long as he can, cause I had to leave that world far to early. I walk over to the small price of glass on the wall that serves as a mirror and brush out my hair. My long red curls tangle so easily during the night. After brushing my hair out the best I can, I pull it up into a high pony tail and throw on a pair of faded jeans, a loose blue shirt, a white jacket, and a pair of brown sandals.

I walk out into the small living room of house, well house isn't the right word. Cottage maybe. It is a small little building made of stone with two small bedrooms, one I share with my brother and the other that belongs to my mother and stepfather, a small bathroom, a small living room and a small kitchen. It isn't much, but its home.

In the living room, my little brother lays on the floor building things out of seashell we found on the beach. My stepfather was talking in the kitchen to mother, who was making breakfast; though once I walked in they both seemed to stop talking when I walked.

"Good morning Katrina" my mother said with what I knew to be a forced smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine mother. Thank you." I replied back. That was thing out my mother, she worries.

"Well, I made your favorite breakfast. Scrambled eggs with seaweed biscuits." She said gesturing to the food cooking on the stove. Another thing about my mother, she tried to mask problems with cooking.

"Mom, you didn't have to make anything special. I'm fine. 100 percent totally fine." I tried to reassure her. I understood why my mother gets this way, I did. Its just sometimes, she can be so… suffocating.

"I know dear, but still cant a mother treat her daughter." She said giving me that look. That look that was endearing, yet heart breaking.

"I guess so. Thank you." I reply back to her. I take a seat on the counter and start eating. "So Paul, when does your ship leave." I ask while practically stuffing my face. My step father Paul was a deckhand on one of the ships that went farther out to see to get the nicer deep see fish they loved so much in the capital, so he was gone for periods time. It wasn't the best job, but it brought food in.

I should explain a bit more about myself before we go on. My names Katrina, which I think you gathered. I am 14 years old, and I live in district four with my mom, Martha Storm, little brother, Daniel Storm, and my stepfather, Paul Storm. My birth father died when I was six and my older brother was… well we don't like to talk about it much. So that's me, Katrina Storm, and today is the Reaping Day.

So, today, I did what I do every Reaping Day, I go down to the bay. It always calms me down. It makes me think of happier times. Makes me remember when my brother, my dad, and I would come here and skip stones. My dad would carry me down on his back then three of us would see who could skip a stone the farthest. My brother was always the best, but he and my dad would always let me when. I haven't come here with them in years. Mainly because my father died and my brother is well…gone. But since then I have gotten much better, and I can skip one as far as I please and right were I want.

"Hey, Thunder. Still skipping those stones." A voiced called from behind me. I turned around to see my best friend Alex coming down the path. He was the definition of strong. His parents had named him after a story of great king who had concored the world, hoping he would take after his namesake. He was tall, at least six feet and only 15 years old. He tousled blond hair and the trademark District 4 green eyes. He had been in the Career Academy since he was three and had always been the most dedicated. Because of that, despite being only fifteen, he was going to volunteer this year. That was part of my dread this year. Not the fact that there is a chance my friend may go into the games, but the fact that I know that he is.

"I can still skip a stone better than you can, Lighting." I said back to him. Everyone in the district called us thunder and lighting because I was louder and he was easier to spot with his blond hair.

"Relax thunder I was just kidding." He said sitting down next to me.

"Are you still volunteering today?" I said turning away from him.

"Come on Katrina don't be like that. You know I have to. I have been training for this since I could walk." He said putting his hand on my shoulder.

"I know," I said as laid my head on his shoulder, "I just wish you didn't have to. Why did I make friends with future career?"

"Well I don't know. Maybe because I am funny, charming, handsome.." he laughed throwing his arm over my shoulder.

"Lets not forgot humble." I said looking up at him.

"Now Thunder if I was humble, I wouldn't be me."

"You right. You'd be a much better you."

"That was cold thunder, really cold."

Before I was able to reply, the alarm for the Reaping Ceremony sounded. We both turned our heads to look in the direction.

"Come on, Thunder, time to get ready." Alex said standing up. Once he was up he offered me a hand and helped me up. "Wear something pretty tonight, I want to the last time I see you for a while to be a good picture. See you later Thunder." At that he turns on his heel and walks away.

Before I leave I take one last look the ocean of District 4. Little did I know this may be the last time I would see it for a while.


End file.
